


In Another Universe

by wtfisgoingonanymore



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, F/M, M/M, Unhappy Ending, mentions of Gwen/Lancelot, will add tags properly when I realise it
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-10 20:26:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 726
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28373118
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wtfisgoingonanymore/pseuds/wtfisgoingonanymore
Summary: Life works funny. One minute, you're on top of the world, and the next? The next minute, you're already six feet underground.One minute, you're a lover, then you're a secret lover, then you're just a secret. How much more change does  person have to go through to finally be himself?
Relationships: Elena/Mithian (Merlin), Gwen/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Merlin/Mithian (Merlin)
Kudos: 8





	In Another Universe

**Author's Note:**

  * For [camelotsheart](https://archiveofourown.org/users/camelotsheart/gifts).



> Ugh. I just realised I'm horrible at summary writing. ANYWAY!!!
> 
> I dedicate this fic to my dearest friend. She is one of the most fun person I know and she truly does liven the place up all the time with her energy. I spent months trying to come up with the perfect fic to write, and I feel like I have finally done it. It might be a little all over the place, but I hope to do it justice.

_"Arthur..."_

_"If you have anything to say, say it. You know that I respect your opinion the most, Merlin."_

_Merlin sighed softly as he stood up straight enough for both of them. Arthur was slumped over and as sagged as the bags under his eyes. The first few days of pain are always the hardest- especially when the pain directly strikes the heart._

_"I'm not here to talk about that any longer, Arthur. I'm here to talk about you."_

_"What about me?"_

_"Arthur..."_

_"No, Merlin, what is it about me do we need to talk about? Am I not ruling my kingdom fairly and just? Is it falling into ruin? Are the citizens so unwell?" The king couldn't help but snap. He does that a lot these days._

_"My king, I don't want to speak to you," Merlin spoke calmly and stood firmly against the verbal lashing. "I want to speak to my friend, Arthur. He's been badly hurt and in dire need of my help."_

_Arthur visibly slumped deeper into his chair as he ran a hand through his growing hair. He let out a shudder and a sigh before he finally looked up with a small bitter smile. "What are you waiting for, Merlin? Get the wine and let's talk about my pathetic self."_

_"You're not pathetic-" It was a futile attempt to convince him otherwise. Merlin knew the sentence would explode on him the minute it left his mouth._

_"AM I NOT?! REALLY, MERLIN?!" Arthur stood up and let the blasted chair fall to the ground with a loud bang. "My wife, the_ **_queen_ ** _, cheated on me. I banished her, and the entire kingdom knows absolutely everything about it! 'Oh, look at King Arthur! He's so_ **_pathetic_ ** _that he couldn't even keep his peasant wife happy enough for her to go with a supposedly dead knight.' Do you have any idea what that is like?! People think me such a fool!!!!"_

_"...And as a husband? How do you feel about it?"_

_That seemed to be all it took to take the King of Camelot down to his knees and bring out the hurting heart that Arthur truly was. Merlin watched in pain as the love of his life sobbed and wept for the love of his life. In all the year's Merlin has been with Arthur, he's never seen the man weep and sob as he does now. Arthur has always tried to remain composed, but this...this was a man whose heart was very clearly shattered._

_"Why...Why would she do that to me, Merlin? Why? Am I not enough for her? What was there that I could not give her?" Arthur Pendragon, on his knees for a servant ex. "Was she unsatisfied with me? Was it the trouble of becoming a queen?"_

_"I don't know, Arthur. I don't know why she did it, but I am sure that it had nothing to do with you. You were a loving and doting husband. There was nothing you could do wrong." Merlin spoke softly as he got down on his knees to hug the broken man._

_All through the night, he let Arthur weep onto him and yell out the frustrations on being a broken-hearted human that he kept silent for the past few days. He let Arthur mourn and hurt until the man could hurt no more. And then, in the morning, he let Arthur sleep and silently resumed the ex queen-to-be's duties. He took care of the serving staff, rescheduled the meetings, and did his best to help the kingdom while the king was indisposed. He did that a lot these days._

_And then, finally, he would go back to the King's chambers where Arthur was seated with his puffy red eyes. He would stand feet away from him as he, with a heavy heart, broke the man's heart one last time._

_"Arthur...Arthur, I have magic."_

And looking back, Merlin thinks that's where it all went wrong. Maybe if Merlin had kept silent about his magic throughout the years as he planned, then this would have never happened. Maybe if he didn't let the guilt rattle him to the core, he never would have spoken of his magic, and everything would've been fine. 

Looking down at Arthur's bloody torso...Merlin had a sinking feeling that may not be the case.


End file.
